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Spanish police have seized more than four metric tons of cocaine hidden in rice sacks at the port of Barcelona.
The incident marks the largest cocaine seizure ever made at this facility.
The Civil Guard’s Central Operating Unit (UCO) launched an investigation last year into a Spanish company accused of smuggling cocaine from Paraguay disguised as rice shipments.
The investigation revealed 4,020 kg of cocaine hidden in plastic bags and rice sacks.
The sacks were manually stitched in order to hide their illegal contents.
The containers had arrived at Barcelona’s port earlier this year, but the cocaine was only discovered in July when the smugglers moved the containers.
The operation was carried out by a smuggler group with members in Paraguay, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
The network consisted of import and export specialists, investors funding the logistics, and security professionals who protected the activities from violence and law enforcement scrutiny.
Eight people were arrested, including the company administrator in Spain.
#OperacionesGC | Incautadas en el puerto de #Barcelona más de 4 Tn de #cocaína escondida en sacos de arroz, la mayor cantidad de #droga registrada hasta la fecha en ese puerto.
10 detenidos
La organización operaba en #España, Paraguay y Reino Unido, donde también se han… pic.twitter.com/Ddu1TWIU5X
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) July 26, 2024
Video Credits: Guardia Civil/X
Authorities conducted five raids across Cadiz, Madrid, Seville, and Toledo, resulting in the investigation of five additional suspects.
Authorities in Britain and Paraguay also made major seizures related to the same criminal network.
In October 2023, Paraguayan authorities seized three tons of cocaine destined for Belgium.
In March, British police intercepted two tons of cocaine at Southampton’s port destined for a Spanish company under investigation based in Toledo.
In total, five tons of cocaine were recovered during these parallel operations.
Authorities in Paraguay arrested two individuals including the organization’s main ringleader in that country.
The coordinated international effort highlights the extensive reach and teamwork required to destroy such sophisticated criminal operations.
The successful bust in Barcelona, alongside the significant interceptions in Paraguay and the United Kingdom, demonstrate the effectiveness of the collaborative law enforcement effort in combating global drug trafficking.
Reference: Reuters
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Source: Maritime Shipping News